I am organizing a Hobie Trifoiler regatta off Anna Maria Island Florida, the first week of Feb, 2009. Please see the News / Press Release below for all of the details. If any TF owners would like to attend, please email me. I can provide you with more details and explain what we are doing, and how you might be able to join us. We have 3 or 4 boats coming now, and have room for perhaps a few more.

For those of you who want from the shoreline and take in the fun, look for us on the beach in front of the Cedar Cove Cottages & Resort, first week of Feb. 2009.

Hobie Trifoiler sailboats from four cities will be doing speed trials and a boat tune-up clinic the first week of February 2009, on the west coast of Anna Maria Island. This event is free and open to the public. Boats will be sailing starting Saturday, January 31, through Saturday February, 7. People not able to attend the event can watch it live on the Internet via a beach web cam at: http://cedarcoveresort.com/webcam/live.html

Cedar Cove Resorts & Cottages is sponsoring this event. The sailors will be rigging their boats on the public beach in front of the resort located on the gulf side, near the middle of the island. The sailors, with their boats, will be available to talk about their boats and the event through out the week.

The speed runs will be recorded on video and high-resolution GPS. The data obtained will later be reviewed and analyzed to rate each sailorâ€™s performance. Videos will later be posted online at YouTube.com. If conditions are ideal during the week, they could reach speeds close to the current world speed sailing record of 58.195 MPH, currently held by a kite-board sailor from France.

The purpose of this event is to gain awareness for the sailors, and to see which of them may have the "Right Stuff" to attract sponsorship to go after speed sailing records.

Peter Bogacz boat #166 (Sarasota, FL), "I've sailed many boats through out my life time, and when I first saw the Hobie Trifoiler; I knew I just had to have one. There simply isn't another boat out there that can do what it does. You really have to see it to believe it, the boat literally lifts itself off the water and flies on three little wings called Hydrofoils and they can turn on a dime, pulling up to two G's when they do!"

Dean Lucko boat #41 (Bradenton, FL), "Most people are shocked to see a sailboat overtake a powerboat on a windy day, but then again, most people have never seen a Hobie Trifoiler sailboat either. We routinely sail faster than the wind, and very often faster than most power boats or Jet Skiâ€™s. The Ketterman brothers, Dan and Greg, designed and built a boat that was really ahead of it's time. The Hobie Cat factory in Oceanside, CA, built fewer than 200 of these boats, and many of them are no longer around, so to see more than one of them sailing side by side is a real treat for me."

Dean Larson boat #161 (Ft. Myers, FL), "I have done some of my best sailing up there in Sarasota. The waters in the Gulf and in Sarasota Bay make for ideal conditions for our boats."

Paul Hardy boat #103 (Naples, FL), "My boat is in the Bahamasâ€™; otherwise, I would be bringing it to the event. I will however show up a few days and give a hand for the owners who are bringing their boats, they are a lot of work to setup, but they are also a blast to sail."

Rich Jadczak boat #163 (Hulmeville, PA), "Hey, if I'm driving all the way down from PA with my boat in tow, you Florida boys better promise me a few good days of strong winds."

To find out more about the Hobie Trifoiler, and to see existing videos, do a search from YouTube.com or Google.com on: Trifoiler. Many of this eventâ€™s competitors have already posted video filmed from on board their boats and while sailing side by side.

Perspective sponsors are invited to contact Dean A. Lucko, Jr. - Trifoiler #41, organizer of this event for potential sponsorship of a world speed sailing record attempt. Email: ADC4Dean@aol.com

Dean, Trifoiler41,
This event you are putting on sounds like a blast. I realize that it isn't going to be official, but it sure would be great practice to run with cameras and GPSs. That's the way to go. If the wind gusts are not exactly where the course is set up, are you planning to take GPS recordings from anywhere the best 100 meters or 500 meters just happens to be? Since all boats are sailed quite differently, with respect to angles of true wind direction, the potential is much better to maximize the best performance of the boat.
There is a great software program for checking the best recorded speeds. It should come in very handy for all the boats that will show up.
I wish I could be there. I look forward to viewing online.

You are correct, we will be recording our runs using GPS and capturing as much video as we can from multiple angles. We are not setting up an official 500 meter course at this event to set World Records, but here to test and prove our skills, put on a show and all have a lot of fun.

We will analyze our best runs using the GPS software, and apply our best runs to a 500 meter course for comparison to current World Records. We are planning to post these results on line for everyone to see and review.

This event could be the start of something more serious if interested sponsors were to get involved. You might say we are testing the waters and throwing ourselves to the wind, who knows were we may land, you never know until you try...

Hi,
I heard from Dean that the turnout to the fla regatta was pretty good but the conditions were not the best....
As an avid windsurfer, past foiler I can reccomend the attached location if you are looking for an awesome place to sail. (cape hatteras)
http://www.surforsound.com/maps/index

It is pretty busy in the spring when the winds are blowing but the flat water of the sound is ideal for foiling.
Check out the attached and hope to see some boats there during the windy seasons in the spring and fall. I hang out at the "Canadian Hole"

Mark Kinnin
Toronto, Canada
ps:still looking to buy another boat after selling my last one due to a bout of insanity.

Jonathan,
I sailed hull #127 which I purchased from Martin Gossen.
Unfortunatley, my company moved and I ended up have to sell the boat due to financial trouble last summer.
Looking to get another boat when something comes onto the market.
Mark

Ah, okay. That'd be Julius Kirschner's pal. Been trying to connect with those guys for a possible get-together this summer. If they ever respond, there are potentially half a dozen of us who could gather to mess around out there.

Hey, I don't see you over on the rahul list. If not, you should join. Always possible that a boat for sale will surface there.